Our Secret
by AhmoseInarus
Summary: Let Me In: 2 - Just a short story about Hotch and Reid's relationship continuing to bloom. The pair decide that they would like to wear a symbol of their love and devotion to each other, even if it can never be seen by anyone else.


Ahmose Inarus

Disclaimer: I don't own Criminal Minds. If I did, it would not be suitable for public television and the cast would probably all freak out and quit.

SLASH WARNING Hotch/Reid

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Our Secret

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Hotch peered at his date over the rim of his wine glass as he sipped from it… He was glad Reid had suggested this place. It was a dingy little hole in the wall when you looked at it from the street, but the little restaurant was very cozy inside. It was a nice romantic little getaway, the layout giving each little table its own sense of privacy. Hotch understood why this place appealed to the shy young man sitting across from him.

Hotch set his glass down and gently laid his fingers on Reid's hand. Reid blinked, jerking himself out a trance he had fallen into by staring at the flame of the little votive candle sitting in the middle of the table. He looked up at Hotch and smiled.

"What are you thinking about?" Hotch asked, cocking his head, slightly.

"… Whose place we're going to go to after this…" Reid said with a playful smirk. "Yours, or mine?" Hotch blinked, then grinned.

"… I have alcohol." He suggested, and Reid grinned back.

"… I have popcorn." The boy responded, and Hotch chuckled.

"Drunken sex not your thing?" The man asked, and Reid flushed, eyes going wide. He looked down at the remains of his dinner. A few bits of orzo pasta and spinach were scattered over the dish. Hotch smiled, sliding his credit card to the edge of the table when the waitress passed. Reid's eyes widened and he opened his mouth in protest.

"Too late. I win." Hotch teased, grinning at Reid's look of annoyance. Reid always invited Hotch out, Reid's treat, but somehow, Hotch always managed to end up beating Reid to the bill. It drove the boy crazy, and Hotch found it so amusing and adorable, that he went out of his way to beat Reid to the bill every time just to watch the boy get all flustered over it.

Reid sat back in a huff, glaring at the man. Hotch grinned at him and winked. Reid scowled and looked away. The woman brought the card back, Hotch signed the receipt, left a hefty tip, and stood. He waited for Reid to precede him out of the restaurant. They got their coats off of the coat rack and put them on, stepping outside into the snow. Once they were on the sidewalk, he wrapped his arm around Reid's waist. Reid smiled slightly at that as he coiled his purple scarf around his neck. Then he snaked his own long arm around Hotch, sliding his hand into the pocket of the man's coat. Hotch slipped his hand into the pocket of Reid's coat, as well. Both walked with their heads down, tilted towards one another.

"Aaron?"

"Hm?"

"Do you ever wish that… we didn't have to hide?"

"… Hide our relationship?"

"… Yes."

"Of course. All the time." Hotch said. Reid looked up at him. Hotch smiled down into Reid's golden brown eyes. "I would love nothing more than to be able to hold you whenever I wanted… be able to look into your eyes like this… walk hand in hand… kiss you…" Reid smiled slightly. "But we can't."

"… I know." Reid sighed. He looked off to the side. A couple of young men, gang bangers by the look of them, watched Reid and Hotch pass with disgusted looks on their faces… Reid pressed closer to Hotch, taking comfort in the presence of the stronger man, and at the feeling of the gun Reid wore at his hip, hidden under his coat. Hotch sighed. He was in a rare spirit tonight… tranquil and serene… loving…

"I would love to be able to… show that I love you, Spencer." He mused, looking up at the darkening sky. Reid looked up at the man again. "I wore a ring for Haley. I wish I could wear one for you… and I wish I could put a ring on your hand, too." He grinned and looked down at Reid. "But working around profilers…"

"It would only take thirty seconds for them to notice a ring on MY finger!" Reid announced, and the pair laughed to themselves. "And we both know that Morgan would NOT drop it."

"NONE of them would." Hotch said, grinning. He and Reid continued to walk down the street. After a bit, Hotch looked down. He noticed Reid was fidgeting. The boy was absently rubbing the base of his ring finger with the pad of his thumb. He sighed. Reid apparently liked the idea of wearing a ring gifted to him by Hotch. Hotch desperately wished that he could put a ring on the boy's finger, but he couldn't.

"You know." Reid said, stopping suddenly. "Just because we have rings… it doesn't mean we have to wear them on our fingers for everyone to see."

"… What?" Hotch asked, looking at the young man. Reid stood there, frowning, then caught Hotch's hand and hurried down the street. Hotch blinked, allowing the younger agent to drag him. It was three minutes to six when Reid skidded to a stop in front of a little store. It was a jewelry store. Reid shoved the door open, a bell tinkling over their heads.

"… Dr. Reid!" An elderly women cried, smiling and walking out of the back.

"Hello." Reid said, smiling. "Hotch, this is Ms. Vermelli. She's my neighbor. Ms. Vermelli, this is Aaron Hotchner." Hotch smiled at the woman, shaking her hand.

"Picking up a Christmas gift for your mother early, Dr. Reid?" The woman asked, beaming.

"No, not yet." Reid said, grinning. "Actually… I'm looking for a pair of rings." She blinked and eyed the two men for a moment before slowly giving them a knowing smirk.

"Hmmm… is this the man you told me about, Dr. Reid?" She asked, and chuckled when both men stared with wide eyes. Guilty eyes. "I'll take that as a 'yes'. I thought you said it was a secret. No one could know. Won't rings give you away?"

"… Only if they can be seen." Reid said, cryptically. "I don't plan to wear it in plain sight." He said, waving a hand. Hotch looked at Reid.

"and just where to you propose we wear them, then?" And he looked Reid up and down, before letting his eyes rest on the zipper of Reid's pants. He blinked then slowly grinned. "Hmmm…" Reid blinked back at the man and frowned, confused, then looked down. He looked back up at Hotch, back down, then up again, wide eyed.

"NOT THERE!" He sputtered, turning bright red. Ms. Vermelli cackled and had to sit down, tears of mirth streaming down her face. "YOU'RE SICK, HOTCH!" Reid whined, and Hotch just laughed.

"Sorry…" The man offered, weakly. "I uh… we had a case where a pair of guys actually did that… it was a few months before you joined the BAU."

"… Oh God… I am SO glad I missed out on THAT case…" Reid groaned, rubbing his eyes. Ms. Vermelli moved across the store, flipping the sign over to read 'CLOSED'. Hotch just chuckled, patting Reid on the back and letting the older woman guide them to the back counter where they sat down on a pair of stools she had.

"Alright, boys." She said in a scolding motherly tone. Reid and Hotch both smiled, settling down. "What are you looking for?" Hotch blinked and looked at Reid. The boy was thinking, eyes moving over the items on display beneath the glass before them.

"I don't know." Hotch said. "This was HIS idea."

"… Your birth stone is Topaz." Reid said, suddenly. Hotch blinked.

"Uh…"

"November."

"… Yes."

"Your birthstone is Topaz. I like the blue topaz..." Reid said.

"So what's yours?" Hotch asked.

"October." Reid said.

"Your stone is…?"

"That depends on which set of birthstones you are considering." Ms. Vermelli said. "October birthstones have been different depending on time and place."

"Tourmaline, Aquamarine, Jasper and opal." Reid listed off. "If you go by the mythological Zodiacs, Peridot." Ms. Vermelli smiled and nodded. "Let's go with opal."

"Is there anything you DON'T know?" Hotch asked, frowning.

"… I don't know what metal you would prefer." Reid said, smiling. Hotch blinked. "Silver, gold, platinum...?"

"… Gold." Hotch said, smiling. Ms Vermelli nodded and snatched Hotch and Reid's hands. She sized their ring fingers, then bustled away. She returned a moment later with a little wooden tray from the back rooms. She set it down. There were several rings sitting on the red velvet. The rings in Reid's size were gold bands with different blue topaz settings. The rings in Hotch's size had opals of every color.

"What do you think?" Reid asked, looking up at the man. Hotch blinked and looked over them.

"This one is too feminine." Hotch said, pushing one aside. "This one is too… gaudy…" Reid met Ms. Vermelli's amused smile.

"May I make a recommendation?" She asked. The pair looked up at her, and she pushed two rings forward. They were simple gold bands with five stones set into the top, side by side, all nestled together. "This is a traditional style. Simple, but effective. Or…" And she pushed two others forwards. "These. They won't likely draw attention. They look like the standard class rings from school." The simple bands of these widened at the top to encase a single stone each, of significant size. They did indeed almost look like class rings. Reid sighed and frowned.

"I dunno…" He mused. He put his elbow on the counter and rested his chin on his fist. He reached out with his other hand and turned the rings in the light, staring at them. Hotch watched the young man's face.

"This one." Reid said, and poked the one that resembled the style of a class ring. "If anyone were to ever see it, they wouldn't think much of it… the other one looks like a Wedding Band. And we want to be inconspicuous."

Hotch nodded his agreement, and picked up the gold ring set with the blue topaz. He stared at it, then took Reid's hand in his and slid it onto his finger. Reid stared down at the ring on his hand, then looked up at Hotch. Hotch smiled at him, still holding the young man's hand. Reid blinked and smiled back, sliding the ring's mate onto the finger of his mate.

Hotch admired th ring on his finger.

"… It's a fire opal." Reid said. Hotch nodded, staring at the dark golden stone, that did indeed seem to be filled with glowing embers. He smiled slightly. It reminded him of Reid's eyes that night they first fell into each other's arms. The firelight had turned Reid's eyes very similar color. Fitting. He sighed and looked up at Reid.

"… It will still attract attention." Hotch said, softly. "If we both suddenly show up wearing similar rings…"

"That's why we don't wear them in plain sight." Reid said, smiling. Hotch blinked. Reid reached up and straightened the collar on Hotch's shirt and centered the knot on his tie. He gave the man a knowing smile.

"Ah…" Ms. Vermelli announced in understanding, then turned. A moment later, she turned back and laid two golden chains on the counter. Hotch stared, then looked at Reid. He slowly let his eyes drop down from Reid's face to his upper chest. Like Hotch, Reid was wearing a button up shirt and a tie. The base of his neck was hidden. And Hotch realized… if Reid were wearing a necklace… he wouldn't be able to see it. Slowly, grinned and nodded.

"Okay." He said, and Reid grinned. A moment later, two credit cards were placed on the counter. Ms. Vermelli chuckled and charged each man for the ring holding his own birthstone. She didn't tell them, but she didn't charge for the chains… the pair removed their rings, strung them onto the chains and put them on, tucking the rings under their shirts.

"Will I see you later Dr. Reid?" Ms. Vermelli asked. "Or will you be staying the night elsewhere?" And she gave him a teasing look. Reid flushed.

"I don't know yet." He admitted, and Hotch chuckled.

"We'll see. Thank you very much." He said, and she opened the door for them.

"Have a good evening. And congratulations." The two men smiled and ducked back out into the snow. The pair took up their former positions. Walking side by side, they wrapped arms around each other's waist and slid their hands into the others' pocket, lacing fingers with the hands already there. It was fully dark now.

"So…" Hotch murmured. "Your place or mine?"

"… I live only two miles from here." Reid said. "Let's go to my place."

"Okay." Hotch said, and the pair took off through the snow. It was a quiet walk. They got to Reid's building; he lived in a loft over a coffee shop.

The pair headed up the stairs. "Why doesn't your neighbor have her store here?"

"she does. She runs the bakery next door to the coffee shop. The Jewelry store is actually her husband's business. She runs it when he's out of town, and her sister minds the bakery."

"I see." Hotch said, nodding.

They reached the top of the stairs and Reid unlocked the door. They stepped in, removing their coats and hanging them on the hooks by the door. Reid hung his scarf up as well. Hotch stood behind him, placing his hands on the youth's waist and leaning forwards, nuzzling Reid's ear and gently kissing his neck just beneath it. Reid smiled and tilted his head to the side, bearing his neck to his lover and letting the man lavish it with tender affection. Within moments, Hotch managed to coax a moan out of his subordinate.

"… Come on…" Hotch murmured, taking Reid's hands and drawing him across the dark loft. The pair fumbled with each other's clothes and showered… it goes without saying that they didn't stay on task very well… Reid giggled, smacking at Hotchner as he tried to brush his teeth, but Hotch was very determined. Reid finally spat out the toothpaste and rinsed his mouth, then stared at himself in the mirror. Hotch stood behind him, arms around him. Reid smiled slightly, staring at the gold glinting on their chests. Hotch smiled, seeing what had caught Reid's eye. He ran a hand up Reid's chest and flicked the ring with his thumb.

Reid turned his head and met Hotchner's lips with his own, sighing. Hotch slid his hand back down Reid's chest and belly, then lower. Reid twitched, then moaned.

"Spencer…" Hotch murmured. "Come on… Will you let me in…?" He asked, running a hand over Reid's backside.

"Maybe…" Reid gasped. Hotch grinned and pulled Reid from the bathroom, and Reid went with him willingly. Hotch flicked off the bathroom light. He shoved down the blankets on Reid's bed and the pair fell into it, hands running over each other's bodies, gasping into one another's ear as they shared hungry kisses. Their passion was all consuming and it soon reached a fevered pitch. Reid clawed desperately at Hotch as the man littered his chest and shoulders with bite marks that would fade within the hour… but the occasional hickey would stick around for a couple of days.

Hotch fumbled in Reid's bedside table drawer for the lotion the boy kept on hand, squirting some into his hand.

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Part of this scene has been removed due to explicit content

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Reid sighed softly, nuzzling up to Hotchner. He nestled his head just under the man's chin and laid his hand on Hotch's chest just over his heart. Hotch smiled a bit, holding Reid close with an arm around his waist and burying his nose into Reid's hair, still damp from their shower.

"… Love you, Aaron…" The boy mumbled, and Hotch smiled, pulling the blankets up over them.

"I love you too, Spencer… night…" The man sighed, and the pair drifted off, the rings gleaming on their chests between them.

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FIN

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My apologies for all of the removed scenes. the site admin is cracking down on explicit content. If you wish to read the story in its entirety, you will be able to find it soon on adult fan fiction . net. Remove the spaces from that... site admin also doesn't allow links on this site... For the full story on this current crack down, please visit my profile.

Please review!


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